The 30th anniversary of the Tales series is just around the corner and Bandai Namco has already started preparations with the Remastered Project. For those who would like to take a walk down memory lane, or are curious about what other Tales games they can play while waiting for new (or remastered) releases, here is a full list of the mothership Tales titles.

Tales of Phantasia

Release Date: December 15, 1995

Platforms: Super Famicom, PlayStation, GBA, PSP, iOS, mobile devices

The first Tales title takes place in Aselia and follows Cless Albane, who seeks revenge after his hometown is destroyed. He learns that the culprits behind the attack wish to revive a powerful sorcerer king, Dhaos. Using the power of time travel, Cless and his friends travel to the past and future in order to defeat Dhaos for good.

Tales of Destiny

Release Date: December 23, 1997

Platforms: PlayStation

The original Tales of Destiny came out on the PlayStation and the remake came out in 2006 for the PS2. It follows Stahn, who accidentally finds a sentient sword that calls itself Dymlos. He, along with other wielders of speaking swords, fight for the Eye of Atamoni, which is a powerful relic from an ancient war.

Tales of Destiny Remake is one of the best titles in the Tales series for its story—which expands on the original and includes a redemption arc for popular character Leon—and fighting style. Hopefully, Bandai Namco has plans for a remaster so that it can officially release the game to the west.

Tales of Eternia

Release Date: November 30, 2000

Platforms: PlayStation, PSP

Tales of Eternia, released in the west as Tales of Destiny 2, has nothing to do with Tales of Destiny. Instead, it follows Reid Hershel and his friends, who live together in the world of Inferia. One day, they come across a mysterious foreign girl named Meredy and through their interactions with her, learn of a different world called Celestia. They journey together to stop an ages-old conflict between the two worlds.

Tales of Eternia feels like the turning point for the Tales series in that it propelled the series into its initial popularity. It was popular enough for an anime adaptation and a MMO, though the anime was pretty bad (in that it had little to do with the game) and the MMO didn’t last long. The battle system feels a lot more fluid compared to Phantasia and Destiny, and it holds up to newer 2D Tales games too. 

Tales of Destiny 2

Release Date: November 28, 2002

Platforms: PS2, PSP

The actual sequel to Tales of Destiny, Tales of Destiny 2 follows Kyle, who’s the son of Stahn and Rutee from the first game. Due to his parents’ heroic past, he’s also obsessed with becoming a hero. One day, he meets a mysterious girl named Reala and embarks on a journey to become a true hero.

Like the above Tales of Destiny Remake, Tales of Destiny 2 is a fantastic game. It’s got a great story, compelling characters, and a difficult battle system that’s rewarding to master. The meme himself, Barbatos, is also from this game. Considering how much trouble he can give you, it can be a little hard to laugh at the jokes Bandai Namco make at his expense.

Tales of Symphonia

Release Date: August 29, 2003

Platforms: Nintendo GameCube, PS2, PS3, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Tales of Symphonia was popular in its native Japan, but it’s what really put the franchise on the map for the western audience. While the west had gotten Phantasia and Eternia, they weren’t exactly selling like hotcakes in the way that Symphonia did. The story follows Lloyd, who joins his friend Colette’s pilgrimage to regenerate the world of Sylvarant.

Tales of Rebirth

Release Date: December 16, 2004

Platforms: PS2, PSP

The story of Tales of Rebirth heavily focuses on racism. It takes place in a world where people wield a magical power called Force after King Ladras, in his final moments, uses his power to unleash the potential in people around his kingdom. Veigue lost power of his Force of Ice and froze his childhood friend Claire in a pillar. Even after he manages to free her with the help of new friends Eugene and Mao, soldiers acting on orders from Karegia Kingdom heiress Agarte take her away. His journey to rescue her from the palace morphs into a battle to end racism.

Tales of Legendia

Release Date: August 25, 2005

Platforms: PS2

Tales of Legendia follows the story of Senel and his surrogate little sister Shirley. Shirley is the Merines, a legendary figure among the Ferines, which is a race of people who can live underwater. Because Shirley is the Merines, many different factions want to capture her to use them for their own schemes.

Compared to previous titles (and its successor Abyss), Tales of Legendia looks and plays in a very weird way. This likely has to do with the fact that the developer, Project MelFes, consists of Tales Studio members, along with developers from the Tekken and Soul Calibur series. It’s the first Tales game with Go Shiina as the composer and the soundtrack is objectively the game’s highest point.

Tales of the Abyss

Release Date: December 15, 2005

Platforms: PS2, Nintendo 3DS

Tales of the Abyss is the eighth mothership title, but it’s the commemorative game for the series’s 10th anniversary. It follows Luke fon Fabre, a pampered noble and swordsman who ends up outside of his comfy mansion after heroine Tear appears to assassinate her brother, who’s also Luke’s teacher. The story heavily focuses on Luke’s personal development as he seeks the meaning of his birth. There is also an anime adaptation for Abyss, which you can watch on YouTube.

Tales of the Tempest

Release Date: October 26, 2006

Platforms: Nintendo DS

Tales of the Tempest follows Caius Qualls, who is a Leymon (essentially a werewolf). After the church takes his guardian prisoner and kill the parents of his childhood friend Rubia, the two of them set out for the capital. The adventure then turns into one to overthrow the church.

Tales of the Tempest is the first Tales game for a handheld console. However, the reception to the game was very mixed, with some places giving it a very positive score and others giving it a very negative one. Points of criticism included the story’s short length, lack of content, unappealing relationship between Caius and Rubia, and more.

Tales of Innocence

Release Date: December 6, 2007

Platforms: Nintendo DS, PS Vita

The story of Tales of Innocence follows avatars, human reincarnations of the divine Devalokans who can still use supernatural powers from their past lives. Ruca, a timid boy, is an avatar of the powerful Asura and he awakens to his powers after rescuing fugitive Illia, a fellow avatar. They meet up with other avatars, who then travel to do something about the wars engulfing their world.

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Release Date: June 26, 2008

Platforms: Wii, PS3

Though the sequel of Tales of Symphonia, Dawn of the New World introduces a lot of lore and elements that weren’t in the original game. It follows Emil, a timid boy who survived a massacre that Lloyd from the first game perpetrated. After meeting with Marta, a girl with Ratatosk’s Core on her forehead, the two of them set out on a journey to fix the meteorological problems occurring around the world and escape from Marta’s pursuers.

Tales of Vesperia

Release Date: August 7, 2008

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Windows PC, Xbox One

Tales of Vesperia is a very popular and successful entry in the Tales franchise, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide. It also has a prequel film, though Flynn in particular is so out-of-character it might as well be fanfiction. The story follows Yuri Lowell, a former soldier who’s now doing odd jobs around his neighborhood. After meeting a noble named Estelle and fleeing from the capital with her, he forms a guild called Brave Vesperia.

Tales of Hearts

Release Date: December 18, 2008

Platforms: Nintendo DS, PS Vita, iOS

Tales of Hearts follows Kor Meteor (Shing Meteoryte) who meets siblings Kohaku and Hisui Hearts. A monster infects Kohaku and in an attempt to save her, Kor accidentally destroys her Spiria (her heart and emotions). The three of them set off on a journey to restore Kohaku’s Spiria.

People don’t talk about the CG Movie Edition, but I definitely remember that one. People were comparing the models to the Evil Goddess MOCCOS, an old 2ch meme about the ugly KOS-MOS figure that came with the Xenosaga Episode 2 Premium Box Set.

Tales of Graces

Release Date: December 10, 2009

Platforms: Wii, PS3, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Windows PC

Tales of Graces follows the story of Asbel Lhant, who is the future heir of the Lhant village. As a child, he befriends an amnesiac girl named Sophie and the prince of Windsor, Richard. Witnessing Sophie’s death traumatizes him and he runs away from home to become a knight. Seven years later, he reunites with Sophie, setting into motion an adventure that takes him all across the world of Ephinea.

Tales of Xillia

Release Date: September 8, 2011

Platforms: PS3

Tales of Xillia is the first Tales game that combines character designs from Kosuke Fujishima (Phantasia, Symphonia, Abyss) and Mutsumi Inomata (Destiny, Eternia, Rebirth). Like Tales of the Abyss, it’s a celebratory mothership title. In Xillia's case, it was for the 15th anniversary. It follows Jude Mathis, a medical student who encounters Milla Maxwell after she breaks into a military research facility in an attempt to destroy a secret weapon. Now that they’re on the run from the military, Jude and Milla, along with their companions, journey to help Milla with her mission to save the world.

Tales of Xillia 2

Release Date: November 1, 2012

Platforms: PS3

Tales of Xillia 2, like Dawn of the New World, is a sequel of its predecessor while introducing elements and lore that the original game never really mentioned. It takes place a year after Xillia and follows Ludger Will Kresnik, a guy who just wants to cook. It turns out he’s not just a good cook, as he possesses the Chromatus. He and the cast from the first Xillia need to go into parallel worlds—essentially what-if scenarios from the first game—and destroy them to prevent their own world’s destruction. He also has to pay off a huge medical debt. Ah, adult life.

Tales of Zestiria

Release Date: January 22, 2015

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Windows PC

Tales of Zestiria was, like Abyss and Xillia, an anniversary title and this time, it was for the 20th anniversary. It draws inspiration from Arthurian legends and it follows the story of Sorey, a young human who can see the mystical spirits Seraphim. He leaves the village of Elysia with his best friend Mikleo and, after forming a pact with the Seraph Lailah, he becomes the Shepherd whose job is to purify the Hellion rampaging throughout Glenwood.

For an anniversary title, Zestiria had its fair share of controversies. Before the game came out, Japanese fans were ticked off about how prominent advertising for Alisha was, yet she was a mere guest party member in the actual game. After it came out, fans seemed split on the story, battle system, and tutorials.

Tales of Berseria

Release Date: August 18, 2016

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Windows PC

Tales of Berseria technically serves as the prequel to Tales of Zestiria. However, you don’t have to play Zestiria to understand Berseria. It follows Velvet Crowe, a normal village girl who lost her pregnant sister after a daemon attack. One day, tragedy strikes the village and Velvet comes across her brother-in-law Artorius killing her younger brother Laphicet in a ritual. She transforms into a daemon and Artorius tosses her into jail. Once she wakes, she swears vengeance on the man who used to be her family.

Tales of Arise

Release Date: September 10, 2021

Platforms: PS4, PS5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Tales of Arise follows the story of Dahnan slave Alphen, or “Iron Mask,” and a Renan girl named Shionne. A curse on Shionne hurts anyone who touches her but since Alphen can’t feel pain, he’s the only person who can pull a sword from the Master Core she has. Like Rebirth and Eternia, it deals with themes of racism and oppression.

The post All Mothership Titles in the Tales Series in Release Order appeared first on Siliconera.

The Danganronpa 2 Nagito Komaeda Nendoroid is now available to pre-order from the Good Smile Company. He is available from both the Japanese and US storefronts for ￥6,800/$41.99, and the figure will ship in February 2025 in Japan and Q3 2025 worldwide.

The Nagito Komaeda Nendoroid is based on his appearance in Danganronpa 2, featuring his green coat and wild hair. He comes complete with three face plates, featuring a smiling face, a condescending face seen when he questions evidence in the game’s trials, and a face with swirling “despair” eyes. He also comes with a revolver and a film sheet depicting the game’s argument alert. In addition to various hand parts, Nagito can also be posed to appear like he has his hands in his pockets.

Nagito Komaeda was announced as one of two Danganronpa Nendoroid figures announced at the Good Smile Company’s Smile Fest 2024. The other figure previewed at the event was Kyoko Kirigiri, a major character from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, who is still under development. Other Danganronpa Nendoroids that have been released include Junko Enoshima and Chiaki Nanami.

The Nagito Komaeda Nendoroid is available to pre-order now and will release in February 2025 in Japan and Q3 2025 worldwide. Pre-orders close on October 9, 2024. His home game, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, can be found on the PS4, PSP, Vita, Switch, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.

The post Danganronpa 2 Nagito Komaeda Nendoroid Is Ready to Argue appeared first on Siliconera.

Indie adventure Gnosia inspired SuperGroupies’ latest line of gaming merchandise, with Setsu’s design and color scheme coming through in the items. The collection includes a watch and a bag, which are both expected to be released in December 2024.

The Gnosia A4-size bag is the cheaper of the two items. It comes in at ¥20,900 (~$130). It is made of fake leather, nylon, and polyesther. While the exterior is black with teal highlights that match Setsu’s jacket, the interior pocket actually features images based on multiple characters. So in addition to Setsu, other Gnosia characters like Gina, Raqio, Remnan, SQ, and Yuriko are referenced. 

Here are the official SuperGroupies images of the bag:

The Gnosia watch is the slightly more expensive of the two pieces of merchandise, and it also matches Setsu’s color scheme. It comes in at ¥22,000 (~$136). The face of the watch includes the Silver Key, as does the back. There are also the constellations between the numbers, referencing all of the characters in Gnosia. 

Here’s a closer look at the watch:

Gnosia is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. It is also on the Vita in Japan. The SuperGroupies merchandise inspired by the game will launch in December 2024, and worldwide shipping is available. 

The post SuperGroupies Gnosia Merchandise Inspired by Setsu appeared first on Siliconera.

Play-Asia announced a sale on PlayStation Vita games, which will run until July 9, 2024 online. It includes over 100 in-stock items as of time of writing, with the select games being 50% off. 

The Play-Asia PlayStation Vita games on sale predominantly consists of Japanese games. However, there are some from other regions mixed in as well. No Asian English titles appear. The only one from Asia is Accel World Vs. Sword Art Online: Millennium Twilight, and it features Chinese subtitles.

Here are some of the more notable titles included in the 50% off sale, as well as their prices:

• Freedom Wars - $30
• Dragon’s Crown - $55
• Grand Kingdom - $15
• Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- X - $23.50
• Labyrinth of Galleria: Coven of Dusk - $20 (Only the Japanese version is on sale.)
• Persona 4: Dancing All Night - $65.50
• Phantasy Star Online 2 Episode 4 [Deluxe Package] - $41.50
• SaGa Scarlet Grace - $20
• Super Robot Taisen X - $44.50
• Time Travelers - $44.50

When it comes to North American region copies of games, the titles available are Forma 8, Lego The Hobbit, Lego Jurassic World, The Lego Movie Video Game, and Lego Ninjago: Nindroids. The only European games in the sale are Lego Batman 2, Toukiden 2, and Code: Realize: Wintertide Miracles.

The Play-Asia PlayStation Vita 50% off sale on games runs until July 9, 2024, and the site offers worldwide shipping. Sony discontinued the handheld in 2019.

The post Play-Asia Starts 50% Off PlayStation Vita Games Sale appeared first on Siliconera.

Back in December 2023, we learned that Muv-Luv Remastered and Muv-Luv Alternative Remastered would come to the Nintendo Switch in Japan in March 2024. Now, we know they’ll head to the eShop outside Japan both individually and in a double pack together on July 11, 2024.

Depending on the version or bundle, the price changes. The original Muv-Luv Remastered is $29.99. However, at launch it is $26.99. Muv-Luv Alternative is slightly more expensive, as it costs $39.99. A launch discount drops that price to $35.99. Buying the two games together at once is slightly cheaper, as that double pack is $64.99. The launch sale makes the pair $58.49. 

The original Muv-Luv is a fairly typical visual novel with romance elements and starts off mostly normal enough. Takeru is going through his normal life, when a young woman named Meiya shows up and moves in with him and starts attending his school. He essentially ends up split between her and his childhood friend Sumika. 

However, in Muv-Luv Alternative things drastically change. He wakes up one day to find himself in a version of the world where aliens are invading, and the friends and love interests he remembers from the original game are all working to fight against them. This installment ended up also inspiring an anime adaptation, which is streaming on Crunchyroll as of time of writing.

Muv-Luv Remastered and Muv-Luv Alternative Remastered will come to the Nintendo Switch on July 11, 2024 worldwide, following a Japanese release in March 2024. The games are also on the PlayStation Vita and PC worldwide, as well as the PS3, Xbox 360, and mobile devices in Japan. Project Mikhail: A Muv-Luv War Story is on PCs, but its Switch version hasn’t appeared.

The post Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative Remasters Join Switch Library appeared first on Siliconera.

A number of figmas showed up at Good Smile Company’s Smile Fest 2024, and one was an updated version of the Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake figure. It is a new take on the item that first appeared back in August 2018. 

The Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake figma wears his original uniform, just like the first version of the figure. His face plate is a stern, stoic expression in the example photo. He’s also holding the tranquilizer that he came with originally. It does seem like the bodysuit is a different shade than the original version of the figma. Also, the paint job on the face seems a bit different and more in line with other recent releases.

Here’s how that looks:

To compare, here’s how the original 2018 version of the Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid figure looked. The additional accessories also included an assault rifle and a cardboard box. Some of the hand parts would even allow the figma to be posed as though it is hanging from a shelf or table.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is available on the PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Vita, Switch, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X, Windows PC via various collections, and the Solid Snake figma will return in the future.

The post Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake Figma’s an Update Figure appeared first on Siliconera.

Kotobukiya revealed two figure prototypes based on Adol Christin and Dana Iclucia from Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on its Japanese official X account. Adol's prototype is already fully painted, and Kotobukiya has also confirmed that it will open pre-orders for his figure on June 18, 2024, while the prototype for Dana's figure is still unpainted, so it will take more time until the company is ready to launch pre-orders for her figure.

Regardless of the prototypes' statuses, Kotobukiya has also put up both prototypes for display at its Akihabara store. The company also confirmed that both figures will have the same 1/7 scale.

Here is the tweet revealing the painted prototype of Ys VIII Adol Christin's figure:

And here is the other tweet showing the unpainted prototype of Dana Iclucia's figure:

The new Ys VIII figures will add more entries to Kotobukiya's collection of figures from Nihon Falcom's game characters. The former had previously revealed figures based on numerous Trails series characters, such as Rean Schwarzer, Estelle Bright, and Tio Plato.

Kotobukiya will open pre-orders for the 1/7 scale figure of Adol Christin from Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The company will launch pre-orders for Dana Iclucia's figure at a later time, after it has finished painting her prototype. As a reminder, Ys VIII appeared first on PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2016. The game has since been made available worldwide on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

The post Ys VIII Adol and Dana Figure Prototypes Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Hidden Variable announced it is finally taking action to change the Valentine crosses to shurikens in Skullgirls games and shared a first video of the change. As a reminder, the developer first announced the redesign in May 2022. 

As a refresher, initially the color of the character’s crosses were changed from red to fuchsia for legal reasons. Following that, a full change to a shuriken was announced. Initially, that alteration was expected to go through in Skullgirls 2nd Encore and the mobile game within 2022. However, delays mean it’s only happening now.

Here’s the test animation showing how Valentine will look with shurikens on her hat, coat, and leggings, rather than crosses. 

While the in-game design hasn’t changed yet, other Skullgirls materials and items with Valentine did already show her crosses changed to shurikens. For example, her Nendoroid features her new design when it released in 2023. Official art also reflects this change. However, there's still no exact timeline for when we'll start seeing the new design appear in both Skullgirls 2nd Encore and the mobile game.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. Skullgirls is available on mobile devices. 

The post Skullgirls Valentine Crosses to Shurikens Animation Shared appeared first on Siliconera.

There are a lot of reasons to play Stardew Valley. Relaxation. Connection. Exploring new content. Making lots of money so you can do absolutely anything you want. That last one can mean sometimes you'll find one Stardew Valley crop is better than other for your needs. We figured with the 1.6 patch out for PCs and people getting reestablished, we should all share our tips and help each other out!

Blueberries! Oh. My. God. Do you know how much I invested into blueberries in Stardew Valley after I realized it was my best crop? My greenhouse? All those beautiful berries. My fields? When they're in season, berries. It constantly regrows, so you're only investing in the seeds one time. Seeds cost 80g per bag, and you're at minimum getting three berries each worth at least 50g. Plus you could make it into wine or jam. It's too good. -- Jenni

For me, it has to be strawberries! I agree with Jenni, blueberries are exceptional but strawberries feel like the poster child (err, crop?) for Stardew Valley. It is one of the earliest crops I grew, it gives a decent profit, and it regrows after a few days. It embodies the wonderful spring season so well, so it always feels like my go-to when I need a quick buck in the game. -- Cody

In terms of my personal favorite, that would have to be Pumpkins. I know, this is a pretty terrible answer. However, my favorite season has always been Autumn, and nothing symbolizes the Fall season like a pumpkin. Maybe it's because I grew up in California (which doesn't get a true Autum season), but I've always used games like Stardew Valley to live my seasonal dreams out vicariously.

If we are talking about the best overall crops, then I would go with Strawberry or Blueberry. While Taro Root and Pineapple can fetch a lot more money, they also take longer to grow. Not to mention the rarer crops  have seeds that are much harder to obtain (such as the Traveling Merchant, or specific locations). But on a personal level, I still go back to Pumpkins every time. -- Brent

The post What’s the Best Stardew Valley Crop? appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega announced that the figure of Morgana from Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight will return, and will be available as a prize at various Sega Plaza locations throughout Japan. The figure will start appearing in stores from the second week of April 2024. [Thanks, Dengeki Hobby!]

The figure depicts Morgana in his Metaverse appearance, while wearing the dancing clothes he sports in the P5D rhythm game spin-off alongside a golden crown. It is approximately 10cm wide and 16cm tall. The figure originally released in 2019 and it is returning as a prize after being unavailable for a long period of time.

A similar mini figure of Morgana also appears as part of one of the two Persona 5 Kotobukiya figures of Joker from Persona 5 and P5D that will be re-released in May and June 2024. Additionally, Good Smile Company recently opened pre-orders for the new Persona 5 Nendoroid figure of Joker in his Shujin Academy outfit.

Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight is available for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. The Persona 5 Dancing figure of Morgana will return as a prize from the second week of April 2024, and will appear at various Sega Plaza locations in Japan.

The post The Persona 5 Dancing Morgana Prize Figure Returns appeared first on Siliconera.

Vanillaware has been something of an darling among consumers for upwards of a decade now. And who can blame anyone that gravitates towards what this studio puts out? With unique visuals and an interesting catalogue of games, we've created a list of what we think are some of the best Vanillaware has to offer. And feel free to let us know what you think and other titles you'd recommend in the comments!

I am divided between Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Odin Sphere (the Leifthrasir re-release in particular). While both are excellent and unique games, in terms of both gameplay and tone, I have to go with Muramasa. The environments and vistas in that game are especially stunning. It's a real shame that Muramasa is currently trapped on the Wii and PS Vita. Maybe if it appeared on modern platforms and PCs, more people could play it? Hey, Vanillaware? — Daniel

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a work of art, both from the actual classic Vanillaware visual standpoint and the incredible storytelling as well. The massive cast of playable characters are all memorable with some poignant moments and shocks throughout. I will admit the combat is forgettable and the ending was really disappointing for me, but I still think fondly about this game quite often. — Cody

For me, the answer is pretty cut and dry. I loved playing Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow of Mystara, so naturally my favorite Vanillaware game has to be Dragon's Crown. It's a great 80's-esque side scrolling beat'em up, only made better by Vanillaware's signature painterly art style that lends itself so well to the atmosphere of the game. I'm personally a huge fan of the character designs in Dragon's Crown because I'm a big "sword and sorcery" fan, but outside of the impressive visuals I'm a sucker for co-op. So being able to dungeon crawl with friends meant I dedicated around one-hundred or so hours to this simple but exciting title. — Kazuma

Listen, I'm going to come here and be the weird one. I liked Kumatanchi on the DS, and I still die a little inside every time I think about how I let someone borrow it and didn't go full bounty hunter on them to get it back. (It is going for $200 on eBay, last I checked.) It's a fun life sim about a bear-girl hybrid named Kuma-tan. You look after her at the zoo, ensuring she's well cared for so she performs well, while also seeing her interact with the other people-animals there. It's not an artistic achievement like 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, but I consider it one of the best Vanillaware games. -- Jenni

The post Which Vanillaware Games Do You Like Best and Recommend? appeared first on Siliconera.

The eccentric Tiny Tina from the Borderlands series will appear as a Nendoroid figure in 2024. She is available to pre-order now from the Good Smile US online shop for the price of $43.99 and Japanese one for ¥6,900.

By pre-ordering the Tiny Tina Nendoroid directly from Good Smile Company’s online shop, customers will receive a special round base featuring the Borderlands logo. This figure is expected to ship out in the fourth quarter of 2024 in the US. In Japan, she'll appear in June 2024.

We can view the promotional video for the Tiny Tina Nendoroid from Good Smile Company’s announcement post below:

The Tiny Tina Nendoroid comes with various optional parts to put her in many recognizable poses. For starters, she comes with three different face plates: a smiling face, a grinning face, and an excited face. She also comes with a rabbit plushie to hold, as well as a plastic background featuring her two rabbits Mushy Snugglebites and Felicia Sexopants strapped to explosives.

View the poses of the Tiny Tina Nendoroid and the pre-order bonus base in the gallery below:

Borderlands 2 is available on the PS3, PS4, PS5, PSVita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Android devices. The Tiny Tina Nendoroid will come to Japan in June 2024 and to the US in Q4 2024. Pre-orders for her are open until January 18, 2024.

The post Borderlands Tiny Tina Nendoroid Comes With Rabbit Explosives appeared first on Siliconera.

Good Smile Company opened up pre-orders for another Nendoroid based on an Amnesia: Memories otome game love interest, and it involves both Toma and his cage. The character will appear with items inspired by his route in 2024.

In Japan, the Toma Nendoroid will arrive in July 2024 and cost ¥6,800. It will show up in North America in Q4 2024 for $42.99. Buying from either Good Smile Company storefront nets people an acrylic stand of the character.

Here’s how that bonus looks:

As for the accessories, all of the items are ones associated with Toma in Amnesia, though someone isn’t actually getting a miniature dog crate cage. Rather, it is a decorative sheet with the image of the cage from the otome game with the Nendoroid as an accessory. He has his Ace of Diamonds card, which is the suit associated with him, and a pair of handcuffs to hold. He also has face plates with neutral, smiling, and angry expressions. 

Here’s a closer look at the figure:

This is the second of the planned figures based on the games so far. The first one is of Shin. He’ll be coming to stores in 2024 as well and release ahead of his brother. 

The Toma Amnesia Nendoroid will release in Japan in July 2024 and North America in Q4 2024. Pre-orders close on January 18, 2024. Amnesia: Memories is available on the Switch, Vita, and PC outside Japan. 

The post Amnesia Otome Game Nendoroid for Toma Comes with His Cage appeared first on Siliconera.

A new collectable item featuring the characters from the Danganronpa series is now available to pre-order on AmiAmi, which ships worldwide, until November 19, 2023. The new Danganronpa student ID cards will cost 550 yen (~$3.67) each and will be released in Japan in February 2024.

All characters from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, and Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony appear on these student ID replicas. That means there are 48 student ID cards to collect in total. The cards mimic the descriptions that are written on the e-Handbook that is given to the students when they enroll in Monokuma’s institution. They are all in Japanese. For those that would like to carry one with them or use it for cosplay, the cards are made of PVC materials in an attempt to make them more durable.

By pre-ordering a single Danganronpa student ID card, you will receive one at random when they are released. If someone would like to secure all of the cards, a full set for each of the three games is also available for purchase from AmiAmi. One set costs 8,800 yen (~$58.85).

The new Danganronpa student ID cards are available for pre-order until November 19, 2023 ahead of the February 2024 debut. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, and Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony are all available worldwide on the PS4, Vita, Switch, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.

The post Student IDs for Danganronpa Characters Appear Next Year appeared first on Siliconera.

Kotobukiya and Atlus announced two ARTFX J Persona 5 Joker figures by Kotobukiya will be reproduced in Japan. The first is a protagonist scale figure featuring Joker in his Phantom Thief outfit, and the second is of him in his Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight attire. Pre-orders for the first are available now until November 21, 2023. That figure will be released in May 2024. It will cost 15,950 yen ($106.46). Pre-orders for the second will last until December 14, 2023. The planned release window is June 2024. It costs 18,150 yen ($121.13). Both of them are available on the Kotobukiya online store.

The ARTFX J Persona 5 Protagonist Joker scale figure is a 1/8 reproduction of the main character in a running pose. In the figure, Joker can hold both his mask as well as his handgun. It also features a base that resembles cracked glass.

Check out the ARTFX J Persona 5 Protagonist Joker figure in the gallery below:

[gallery link="file" size="full" columns="2" ids="992169,992170,992171,992172"]

The Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight figure features both Joker and Morgana dancing together in their stage costumes, as they appear in the game. It also features a base that looks like cracked glass.

Get a closer look at the ARTFX J Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight Joker figure in the gallery below:

[gallery link="file" columns="5" size="full" ids="992173,992174,992175,992176,992177"]

The Persona 5 Protagonist figure and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight Joker and Morgana figure are now available for pre-order on the Kotobukiya online store for 15,950 yen ($106.46) and 18,150 yen ($121.13) respectively. Persona 5 Royal is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight is on PS4 and PSVita.

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